What is this world coming to?

[200hr Wonder]

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[url http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2008/04/01/bc-sikh-turban-sawmill.html]2 Sikh workers file complaint against Interfor over hard-hat policy[/url]

Two Sikh sawmill workers have launched a complaint with the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal after they weren't allowed to work because they refused to wear hard hats over their turbans.

    Mander Singh Sohal, left, and Kalwant Singh Sahota say they always wore turbans at Interfor's Acorn Mill in North Delta, B.C., and were never injured.Mander Singh Sohal, left, and Kalwant Singh Sahota say they always wore turbans at Interfor's Acorn Mill in North Delta, B.C., and were never injured.
    (CBC) 

Mander Singh Sohal, Kalwant Singh Sahota, their lawyer and a dozen supporters held a press conference outside the Ross Street Sikh Temple in south Vancouver Tuesday.

Sohal and Sahota, who have been working in the province's forestry industry for more than 20 years, said they have always worn their turbans at Interfor's Acorn Mill in North Delta, B.C., and they haven't been injured.

"We worked with our turbans on in the past and we want to work the same way," Sahota said.

"I had no compensation claim [and] no sickness claim [made] with the company since 1988," Sohal said.

    Interfor decided in November that all workers at its mills must wear hard hats in order to lower injury rates.Interfor decided in November that all workers at its mills must wear hard hats in order to lower injury rates.

They said they haven't worked since November, when their employer brought in a hard-hat-only policy aimed at lowering injury rates in the workplace. Interfor requires the two men to wear hard hats over their turbans.

Many Sikh men follow a religious requirement that they wear turbans with nothing over them.

Both men hired a lawyer and after attempts at negotiations failed, they filed a human rights complaint on March 9.

Ron Slaco, the chief forester at Interfor, said the company is now offering Sohal and Sahota with jobs at the same pay that don't require hard hats.

"It includes back pay, so the worker is not out of the pocket with back pay, and the worker will have a job at our site," Slaco said.

David Perry, a lawyer representing the two men, said they will continue with the human rights complaint but will consider the job offer.

Sahota said the job offer was only made after their story broke in the media.

Ultimately, they're fighting to have the company policy and law changed so that Sikhs working in sawmills are allowed to only wear a turban, he said.

What next? I can't wear steel toes because I need to wear my religious foot ware? I can't wear a seatbelt because it interferes with my religious blouse? Give me an f*break. Certainly a lot of companies get safety paranoid, like places that will not allow one toe in the shop with out safety glasses and steel toes. But if you are actively working in a mill and a hard hat is the rule you wear it. Simple. Maybe they should allow them to NOT wear it and require that they sign a contract indemnify the company for any and all head injuries and requiring them to get separate insurance to cover work place head injuries that would not affect the companies WCB rates in the event of a pay out. Better yet get the Sikh temple to cough up. If that where the case fill your boots! What would piss me off as an employer is having to pay higher WCB rates for these too yahoos should they get conked on the head. What pisses me off more is they are pandering to these two goons. I am certainly not one for over legislating the world but a company safety rule is a choice: You obey or you get a new job simple. There is ZERO discrimnation there. I bet the train of thought in the board room went something like this: "Gee Bob you hear about the poor fellow that is now a vegetable because he got hit in the head at the mill next door?" "Yeah real shame that. Maybe should get everyone to wear hard hats so we do not have deal with that mess? I mean WCB, the cost, the paper work that would suck!" "I think your right, lets draft a memo and order a gross of hard hats from Acklands". Where is the racial discrimination there!

[bob sacamano]

And you all thought that happy holidays and holiday tree was where it ended....

[Snowgoose]

Anyone familiar with WCIB? If you get injured on the job and refused to wear your safety equipment, aren't you benefits null and void?

I've always thought it's a privilege to have a job. I wish people would have more respect for their employment and try to understand where management is coming from sometimes. Their bosses are trying to make it safer for them.

[Wacko]

There is no point in continuing this thread... we had one not too long ago about they guy with the motorcycle.. same arguments apply.

[MUSKEG]

What iritates the crap out of me is that there are sleazy lawyers who take on these cases. If the lawyers wouldn't take it then there would be no case. And if they got there turbin caught in a saw blade and lived to tell about it (read sue) who would be held resposible. Freakin screwed up legal system and sleaze ball lawyers and judges.

[Rockie]

Interfor is simply complying with safety regulations which they are required to do. Offering these two gentlement work within their company at the same wage with backpay that doesn't require a hard hat is exceptionally fair and understanding. I'm not sure that I would make the same offer. In any event I hope they go through with their complaint in the hopes that yet another ruling (motorcycle helmets in Ontario) will finally put a stop to this nonsense.

[CID]

What iritates the crap out of me is that there are sleazy lawyers who take on these cases. If the lawyers wouldn't take it then there would be no case.

I don't see it like that. Constantly challenging the laws is a great way to improve them in the long run. Lawyers just do their jobs. Generally they put their emotions on the shelf and process complaints against the laws. Think about it. If these guys win, is it their fault or a deficiency in the law?

Many loopholes are closed in this manner.

Personally, I think if a person isn’t capable or willing to meet the minimum requirements of any job while the company is offering reasonable accommodation, that person should look for another job.

Not much different than refusing to hire a blind pilot.

When you put religion in the mix it gets tough. Employers have made “reasonable” accommodations for people in the past. For example some people will not work on Sundays or Friday after sundown. There are work arounds available.

In this case I think consideration should be made to allow the people involved to develop an equivalent head protection system that would respect their religious beliefs while meeting the company’s safety requirements with the understanding that the turban alone will not suffice and that the system shouldn’t unruly or awkward.

There should also certainly be some spirit of compromise from the workers in question.

[KAG]

What iritates the crap out of me is that there are sleazy lawyers who take on these cases. If the lawyers wouldn't take it then there would be no case.

There should also certainly be some spirit of compromise from the workers in question.

There willing to kill their own daughters because they date someone outside their own class or show more skin then they deem acceptable. I really don’t think they want or intend to compromise.
I must admit taking up the human rights spin is getting old. When/where does it stop?

[Inverted2]

All this nonsense makes me Sikh to my stomach!

[tcasman]

The problem is with all of these complaints coming forth from various Ethnic Groups is the sad fact that Canadians have refused to ascend to high level of Multicultralism. I believe the only way to achieve this assencion is to have the Canadian Government...legislate...as law the forming of 200 independent Ethnic Home Colonies. This would allow people of the same ethnic background to keep all of their .. religious tradiions....honour killings...hygiene standards and non existant workplace laws. This would eliminate the need for Human Rights Commisions and create perfect harmony with all the 200 factions. Why it would be just like home..........if required ....all the different factions would also be allowed and of course encouraged to continue with their wars....honour killings and keep their well honed skills from the Third World countries intact. To expect them to behave and act like they live in a 21 Modern Society is quite clear a violation of their rights and emotional growth..this has to stop........NOW.

Until Canadians finally realize ...just because me still comprise 86% of the population ...we must ...have to change to their ways. Once this is realized....and only when it is realized and embraced can be ascend as a Nation.....the True UTOPIAN CANADIAN.................resistance is futile...

[CID]

There willing to kill their own daughters because they date someone outside their own class or show more skin then they deem acceptable. I really don’t think they want or intend to compromise.

KAG, vulgar generalizations don't help. You could just as easily apply that statement to any culture. Timothy McVeigh for example killed MANY daughters, sons, mothers, fathers, etc in retaliation for the storming of the Branch Davidian compound. I don't recall him wearing a turban and I don't recall anyone describing all white christians as murderous thugs based on that insane act.